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Totally Useless Morrissey Trivia

Morrissey did not get his driver’s license until 1993 at the age of 34.In the ’80s, Morrissey had a verbal hissyfit with The Cure’s Robert Smith. At one point, a reporter asked Robert about him, to which he replied, “If Morrissey says don’t eat meat, then I’m going to eat meat, because I hate Morrissey.” Today, all is well. I think they just didn’t like competing for space on my bedroom walls as a teenager. Calm down boys, there’s room for everyone! 🙂Before joining The Smiths, Morrissey worked as a civil service clerk, a record store salesman and a hospital porter. His mother was a librarian, his father a hospital porter.Morrissey has a sister named Jacqueline who is one year older than he—pictured here with a young Moz, aged 5, at Albert Square in Old Trafford, Manchester in 1965.The cover photo of The Smiths on their 1986 album The Queen Is Dead was shot by Stephen Wright, a fan. Rough Trade, the band’s label received some photos from Stephen of the band live in concert. Morrissey liked what he saw and he was hired. Using his own old Nikon and the wrong lens, the photographer walked around Manchester with the band and just shot in different spots. The one with the best lighting turned out to be the Salford Lads Club. The image now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery collection—amazing considering Stephen’s darkroom doubled as his bedroom and the processing chemicals were kept in lemonade bottles. After the shoot, Morrissey sent him a card that read, “A sweeter set of photos were never taken.”Morrissey’s worship of James Dean started early. In 1979 he had a poem about the late actor published in a Scottish fanzine called Next Big Thing. The line, “My only weakness is well…never mind,” featured in Shoplifters of the World, was said by James in a TV movie called Danger. In 2008, Morrissey bought a watch, previously owned by James, for $40,000.

Morrissey was a Sixteen Candles fan! Well, he was a Michael Schoeffling (JAKE RYAN!) fan. In a 2004 interview conducted for i-D magazine, he talked about his love of the actor’s short-lived career. “He was this astonishingly good-looking model. He tried to become an actor, made about three films in Hollywood, then went off and had loads of children. He was an absolute hero to me.” I defy anyone to NOT fall in love with Jake Ryan. 🙂Morrissey has always had a soft spot for the quirky absurdness of English soap operas, his two favorites being Coronation Street and EastEnders. In a 1994 interview with Q Magazine, he said of EastEnders (my personal favorite!), “Against my better judgment I’m affixed to EastEnders. I argue back at it. I despair for the writers.” For the record, there would be no Snooki without Kat Slater! In a 1995 video for Morrissey’s single, “Dagenham Dave,” he is seen walking through a house with photos of the cast on the walls. Morrissey once appeared in South, a spin-off of the British soap opera Brookside.

Morrissey has always been a fan of the late Bea Arthur, and loved The Golden Girls. In a 2004 Miami concert, Morrissey recited to the crowd, the words to “Thank You For Being A Friend.”

Morrissey has been spoofed on several TV shows through the years. Some odd ones include a mention on Bill Nye: The Science Guy, Mystery Science Theater 3000, and most recently, The Cleveland Show.Morrissey’s first concert that he attended was T.Rex in Manchester, 1972.

In 2001, Morrissey, a strict vegetarian, once said that the highlight of the last 20 years had been foot and mouth disease.

Morrrisey’s debut solo album, Viva Hate, featured the song “Margaret on the Guillotine,” in which he fantasizes about the death of Margaret Thatcher referring to it as a “wonderful dream.” The 1988 album itself was originally set to be titled, Education in Reverse.

Noel Gallagher was a neighbor of Morrissey’s some years ago. To be clever, Morrissey left him a postcard that said, “Let’s go shoplifting!” Noel went to his house, but Morrissey refused to let him in.

Morrissey once said that the late Kirsty MacColl had a “cracking bust.”In the ’80s, The Smiths’ tour rider included: a “live tree with a maximum of five foot and a minimum height of three foot.” This was a must for all venues, per Morrissey’s request.